Wind gusts forced the cancellation of Felix Baumgartner's attempt at a record space jump from 120,000 feet above Earth on Tuesday.

UNM professor Horton Newsom knows just how delicate balloon endeavors are in outer space. He's worked on the Mars Rover Project and is currently working Curiosity.

"There's very much an element of danger involved," Newsom said. "He's very much putting his life at risk to do this."

Baumgarten was going to float above the Earth in a gigantic helium balloon. Horton said the construction of balloon presents unique challenges.

"The material of which the balloon is made is thinner than the plastic bags you get at the grocery store and extremely fragile," Horton said. "The balloon is enormous. It's huge. If there's a slight difference in wind at the ground and where the balloon is located, it'll tear the balloon apart."

The last man to attempt such a feat was Air Force Col. Joe Kittinger in 1960. He jumped successfully from 105,000 feet.

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) said Sunday it was "very alarmed" by reports of widespread doping by track and field athletes in major competitions including the Olympic Games and world championships.

The Obama administration will unveil a major climate change plan Monday aimed at a large reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from the nation's coal-burning power plants, a senior administration official told CNN.